NBC Cheers 'Firebrand for Science' Bill Nye Pushing Climate Change

By

Kyle Drennen

July 22, 2013 - 11:42am

On Monday's NBC Today, correspondent Mara Schiavocampo offered a fawning report on the 20th anniversary of the popular children's show, Bill Nye, The Science Guy, describing its host as "Part teacher, part crusader." A soundbite followed of Nye declaring: "Climate change is happening." [Listen to the audio[1]]

While Schiavocampo started by describing the success of educational
program, she quickly turned to promote Nye's advocacy: "But don't let
his friendly appearance fool you....Bill Nye has become a firebrand for science, an advocate regularly speaking out about topics like evolution and climate change."

Clips were interspersed of Nye's proclamations on the topic: "The world
is getting warmer. It's continually getting warmer....That's science,
those are facts. You can't close your eyes and make them not true. We
still have this culture or this tradition where people don't accept
science. And that is not in anybody's best interest."

Schiavocamps touted: "This video he did for the website the
BigThink.com went viral, viewed more than five million times." In the
video, Nye lectured: "I say to the grown-ups, if you want to deny
evolution, that's fine. But don't make your kids do it, because we need
them."

Rather than feature any scientists skeptical of man-made climate
change, the segment went on to show Nye being cheered on by adoring fans
at various speaking events.

The praise for Nye continued after the report ended, with co-host
Savannah Guthrie exclaiming: "We love him." Fill-in co-host David
Gregory observed: "Well, it just reminds you why a great teacher is
everything." Guthrie then advertised Nye's latest documentary "called,
Objective: Change the World. Which I think he may have done so a little
bit already." Gregory added: "He's having impact."

Nye's climate change activism over the years has been well-documented by the Media Research Center blog, NewsBusters[2].

Here is a portion of Schiavocampo's July 22 report:

8:49AM ET

DAVID GREGORY: Back now at 8:49 with a milestone for a man who's
inspired and educated millions of young minds. Bill Nye, The Science
Guy. Here's NBC's Mara – how do you say her last name?

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Schiavocampo.

TAMRON HALL: Schiavocampo.

GREGORY: I always get that wrong.

[ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC: Science is the key to our future, and if you don't
believe in science, then you're holding everybody back. – Bill Nye]

SCHIAVOCAMPO: Known to a generation of Americans simply as "The
Science Guy," Bill Nye has spent his entire professional life with one
lofty goal in mind.

NYE: Dare I say it? Change the world.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: And change the world he has. This fall marks the 20th
anniversary of his award-winning children's TV show, Bill Nye, The
Science Guy. The show ran for five years, won eighteen Emmy awards, and
humorously introduced kids to subjects like magnetism...

NYE: The galaxy itself has a magnetic field.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: ...electricity...

NYE: It's building up in my rocker wig of science.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: ...and energy.

NYE: A lot of it comes from the heat released by burning coal.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: The idea of the show was to get people, kids, excited about science.

NYE: I mean, I put my heart and soul into it. I mean, it really took a lot out of me and – but I look back and it's worth it.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: It was filmed in a warehouse in Seattle with Nye in a blue lab coat and of course his signature bow tie.

NYE: Here are some of the bow ties. They add up, they don't wear out, you know.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: A fashion trend that began for him way back in high school. But don't let his friendly appearance fool you.

NYE: The world is getting warmer. It's continually getting warmer.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: Bill Nye has become a firebrand for science, an advocate
regularly speaking out about topics like evolution and climate change.

NYE: That's science, those are facts. You can't close your eyes and make them not true.

We still have this culture or this tradition where people don't accept science. And that is not in anybody's best interest.

SCHIAVOCAMPO: This video he did for the website the BigThink.com went viral, viewed more than five million times.

NYE: I say to the grown-ups, if you want to deny evolution, that's fine. But don't make your kids do it, because we need them.

(...)

-- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here[3] to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.

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